This invention relates to beds having side rails. More particularly, the invention is directed to a device for preventing injuries from occurring to bed occupants mainly because they or their appendages become lodged in a space or gap which exists or is created between the bed's fixed or movable side rails and the bed mattress, or mattress support.
Hospitals, nursing homes, institutions and like patient care establishments utilize beds which typically have vertically movable side rails to prevent patients from falling out of beds, and to facilitate, for example, cleaning, removing and replacing bed sheets, mattresses and patients. When the movable side rails are raised and set in their normal working position, the lowermost side rails of even the best beds are in a horizontal position at or just above the upper plane of the mattress. In those instances where the lowermost side rail is above the plane of the mattress, even when the mattress is properly aligned, a hazardous space or gap exists between the mattress and lowermost side rail. Misalignment of the mattress increases the gap. When the lowermost side rail is at or below the upper plane of an aligned mattress, a hazardous gap is created by mattress misalignment or by downward patient pressure on the mattress edge.
It is too well known that because of these bed constructions and spaces or gaps, whether or not due to askew mattresses, bed occupants or patients who are asleep, or cannot control or do not realize the significance of their movements, particularly the elderly, physically handicapped, mentally ill, restless or confused, often injure themselves when their bodies, arms, legs or chests become lodged between the bed side rails, or more commonly between a bed side rail and the bed, mattress or mattress support. Such patients needlessly suffer pressure marks, bruises, dislocated, fractured or broken bones, or still worse, their heads and/or necks become lodged, they lose conciousness and all too often, they thereafter live in a permanent state of vegetation.
A successful but often cruel and otherwise unnecessary means of preventing such injuries has been the use of straight jackets and other appendage restraint means which are fastened to the bed.
A recently devised, more humane means for preventing these injuries is a mattress sling disclosed in copending U.S. Application Ser. No. 021,913 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,415. While this device has been successfully employed, there is a need for an improved device which is more economical and is easier to install, use and remove.
It is a main object of this invention to provide such an improved device for preventing the above-described and other injuries from occurring.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device for stabilizing and maintaining a mattress in proper position on a bed having side rails so that a bed occupant is prevented from being exposed to a dangerous gap or space between lower bed side rails, and the bed, mattress, or mattress support.
Another object is to meet the above objectives with a device which provides a bed occupant with freedom of movement, ventilation and visibility.
Still another object is to meet the above objectives with a device which is inexpensive to construct and maintain, and, in relation to a bed and its side rails, is easy to install, use and remove.